


Red in Her Ledger

by doubleinfinityandbeyond



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Natasha Romanov, Bucky Barnes Returns, Bucky is Natasha's Father, Eventual Cinnamon Scroll Bucky, F/M, Healing Roadtrip, M/M, POV Natasha Romanov, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Natasha Romanov, Protective Steve Rogers, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-09-14 11:28:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9179596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doubleinfinityandbeyond/pseuds/doubleinfinityandbeyond
Summary: After he helped her escape Hydra and the Red Room, Natasha swore she would come back for him. After years of work, she can finally fulfill that promise.Natasha is the daughter of the Winter Soldier and she goes back for him.





	1. Back for You

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!
> 
> Just a few quick timeline things; in this, Natasha is younger than cannon for either comics or movies, born somewhere in the 90s to leave her about 24 when we pick up here. Likewise, Clint's age has dropped a bit as well. Beyond that, cannon pretty much diverges from the middle of CA;TWS, meaning Avengers has happened.

Natasha had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Five years, 6 months and 21 days.

And now it was here. The day that she and Fury had made enough of a nuisance of themselves to warrant his assassination. And only one assassin was ever going to be sent. The best of the best. 

This had always been the plan, since the day she was brought in by Barton.

*

_“I have to say, I was surprised when I heard you were coming.”_

_The loss of one eye has made Fury’s stare no less intimidating, perhaps only increased it. Natasha looks back steadily, unwilling to play these petty games._

_“Let’s cut to the chase. I know things you want to know. I need to get someone out. We can help each other.”_

_“Well Ms Romonova, you have my attention. What did you have in mind?”_

*

It seems hospital lighting is capable of limiting how imposing Fury is. Natasha slips into the room unseen, her default really. She pauses briefly to touch her hand to Fury’s in silent thanks, unsure if he will feel it in his state.

She finds his phone and opens the innocent looking app designed specifically for this. The map loads slowly, with a single red dot bleeping strong.

A grin spreads slowly across the normally reserved Russian. 

Finally.

Moving with renewed purpose, Natasha makes to blaze down the hallway, only to find her arm grabbed by a strong hand. Craning her neck, she sees Steve’s perpetual frown as he drags her along beside him.

“You know something.” Steve doesn’t believe in beating around the bush, not when public safety is involved.

“I know who killed Fury. Most of the intelligence community doesn't believe he exists. The ones that do call him the Winter Soldier. He's credited over two dozen assassinations in the last 50 years.” Mostly true. Only one lie.

“So he’s a ghost story,” Steve responds immediately.

“Five years ago I was escorting a nuclear engineer out of Iran, somebody shot at my tires near Odessa. We lost control, went straight over a cliff, I pulled us out, but the Winter Soldier was there. I was covering my engineer, so he shot him straight through me.” She lifts her shirt halfway, revealing the scar. “A Soviet slug, no rifling. Bye-bye bikinis.” All true. No lies then. Technically.

“Yeah, I bet you look terrible in them now.” Steve lets his sarcastic shit leak out from his generally serious mask.

“Going after him is a dead end. I know, I've tried. Like you said, he's a ghost story.” That’s the hardest truth. But this time is different, she will find him. She will. 

“Well, let's find out what the ghost wants.” What Steve doesn’t know is he wants nothing. At least nothing that he knows of. 

That’s the next battle. For now, just finding him is enough.

 

*

_“Never feel guilty for surviving, Мой маленький воин.”_

_Natasha feels metal push her hair behind her ear. She knows this will be the last time for a long time. She was trained to never cry, and that training does not fail her now._

_“Do not lose hope. I will come for you. Что делает воин ожесточенные?” Green eyes meet blue._

_“Их сила куется в лед и огонь.”_

_She allows herself to step into his arms for a final moment, despite the havoc around them._

_Then she runs._

 

**

 

While Steve drives them to New Jersey, Natasha checks her phone to find a message waiting for her. She pulls up the thread;

 

**We found him.**

 

_En route, ETA DC 5 hours._

 

And then;

 

_We’ll get him out._

**

She remembered his voice. His swiss accent, the patronising tone and grandiose sense of self. Luckily, he didn’t seem to recognise her beyond her shield created cover; Fury had done well. But the time for covers has passed, and she needed answers now. Steve had gotten what he needed about Project Insight, and it was her turn.

 

“Who is the Winter Soldier’s handler?” Not that it really mattered. She was going in regardless, but why deny herself an advantage? He taught her to always take what she can to help her.

 

Zola smiled through his screen. “Ah, Zima. My finest creation. I do miss working with him.” Natasha shudders. “I believe its Pierce, not that information will help you. You see, I’ve been stalling.”

 

Steve gets them down just in time.

 

*

 

Sam’s house is nice. Lived in, if somewhat obviously lived in alone.

 

“You want to tell me what that was all about?” Steve sits on the bed in front of her, dust still clinging to his shoulders and singlet.

 

“I may not have been totally honest with you. Only 2 people besides myself know this. I’m used to keeping it looked down,” she smiles at her lap, “but I guess you’ve earned it.

 

“Most people think that I joined SHIELD to go straight; wipe the red out of my ledger. Which is true, to a certain extent. But I was waiting for Barton that night. There real reason I defected was that I needed help to get someone out.”

 

“The Winter Soldier? The ghost story?” Steve’s brow is furrowed. Natasha nods.

 

“Fury and I had a plan, with the Winter Soldier being sent for him the crucial step. He managed to plant a tracker on the Soldier. Clint is on his way, and then we’ll go get him.”

 

 

“Fury was in on it? But what about Project Insight? What about SHIELD and Hydra?” Steve looks like he’s trying to stamp down on his sympathy in order to ever be the voice of the greater good. Natasha smirks at him.

 

“Well Rogers, I guess it’s a good thing we’ve got a team.”

 

 

*

 

Hill sends word of her new base with Fury, leaving Natasha and Steve to rally their troops. Tony, Rhodey, Sam and Clint are all suited up beside them, listening to their Captain outline the plan.

 

“Sitwell said that the helicarriers loaded with Zola’s algorithm will launch in approximately 2 hours.” He nods his head at Hill in thanks for that contribution.

 

“The only way to destroy the helicarriers is to have them lock onto each other,” Hill interjects, “so we’ve loaded these chips with a program that will disrupt their aiming capabilities. It will only work with all 3 locked.” Everyone nods; grim but determined.

 

“However, perhaps even more time sensitive is The Winter Soldier,” Steve gestures for Nat to take the floor.

 

“Extraction of the Winter Soldier will be the focus of our second mission. Tracking indicates he’s being kept in a bank in downtown DC, but if Sitwell’s right, he likely won’t be there much longer-“ Tony clears his throat, hand half raised in the air.

 

“Quick question, just a slight thing really. I totally support you, go team whatever; but why are we extracting a borderline mythical, terrifying sounding assassin?” It seemed more of a curiosity thing for him than any real moral dilemma.

 

“Because 6 years ago, he got me out. It’s high time I returned the favour.” Clint’s hand brushes ever so slightly against Nat’s, lending his strength.

 

Tony nods and he waves his hand magnanimously at Steve. “Cool. Carry on.”

 

“We split into two teams. The 3 fliers – Tony, Rhodey and Sam – will take the helicarriers. One each, lock the chip, in and out. Hill, you’ll run ground support for them and expose Hydra. Some agents might still be loyal to SHIELD, and they deserve to know. Once the helicarriers are taken care of, focus of civilian evacuation and arresting Pierce. Clint, Natasha and I will raid the bank. If we haven’t checked in by 1900 hours, come after us. Any questions?”

 

Once all give their assent, the group disperses to prepare with the A team set to depart in less than 10 minutes.

 

As Natasha loads up her suit with ammunition, Clint leans his back against the table, a new arrow (courtesy of Stark) in his hand for him to admire.

 

“Are you ready?” he asks in a low voice.

 

“As I’ll ever be.” She responds, just as quietly.

 

“What will you do if it doesn’t work?” He aims for a neutral tone, but Nat knows him well enough to pick up on the hint of worry. She smiles slightly, glancing at him briefly.

 

“Knock him out, and drag him out.”

 

Clint smiles, and nods. “I’ll take his legs, cause I’m sure as hell not going near that arm while he’s not all there.”

 

“Duly noted.” She fits her widow bites onto her sleeves. Clint reaches out a hand and grasps her shoulder, before wandering off to start the quinjet.

 

Natasha heads off to find Steve, and hears him chatting quietly with Sam. She knows she shouldn’t, but she hesitates; she stops and listens.

 

“From what I’ve heard of this Winter Solider fellow, he doesn’t seem like the kind of guy you save. He seems like the kind of guy you stop.” Sam’s voice drifts back to her, and Natasha goes rigid. She will not let them touch him.

 

“Steve, it’s time.” Natasha holds herself firm, giving no indication that she heard anything she wasn’t meant to.

 

**

The entry level of the bank is still in full swing, but a couple of bulky overcoats and briefcases let them in without too much of a hassle.

 

“That door shouldn’t be there,” Natasha mutters under her breath, thinking back to the old blueprints they had Tony dig up. Clint nods and moves towards it. Two more locked doors and an elevator proves they’re on the right track.

 

In the elevator they drop their coats, Steve no longer faking being morbidly obese in order to hide his shield. Their actions were not for naught, with the doors opening to reveal their old strike team. Or, at least what’s still standing after their close quarters run in with Cap. They never really stood a chance.

 

“Didn’t think I’d be seeing you here. Would’ve pegged you’d be down at the Triskelion fighting for freedom, justice and the American way.” Brock seems to have assumed this was all Steve’s idea. Good, they aren’t expecting her to come for him.

 

“Well, it’s still early,” Steve retorts before stepping forward, shield up and guns out.

 

Knowing Steve and Clint will take care of it, Natasha focuses on fighting her way through, pushing forward towards her goal. She heads deeper into the bank, finding and dispatching more lackeys before reaching an open vault.

There he is. His hair is longer than she’s seen it in a long time, a sure fire sign that he’s not been out of cryo much since that day. Evidently they weren’t willing to risk a repeat performance. Without breaking her stride, Natasha targets the lab technician at the control console first, unwilling to risk anymore damage. Hopefully they haven’t had a chance to reset him. The rest fall fast, her left hand firing as quickly and surely as her left; he wouldn’t let her prefer one in training and she sends a mental thanks to the man in the chair once again.

 

Pierce is the only one left standing. She levels one gun to his head and the other to her heart.

 

“Ah Natalia Alianovna, you’ve come home.” He smiles cruelly. “I’d almost thought you’d forgotten about us.”

 

Her grip tightens.

 

“I’ve come back for my home, but we are not staying here.” Without a second thought or hint of remorse, she fires although her aim is off. One to the gut and one to the kneecap. A cruel ending for a horrific man.

 

 

Natasha rushes forwards, working the restraints off and murmuring under her breath.

 

“I’m here, Батяня, we’re getting you out now, it’s your turn, you’re safe, I’m here.”

 

The man in the chair wakes up slightly, notices her attempts to remove his restraints and looks up, confused. She meets his eyes.

 

“Что делает воин ожесточенные?” Natasha doesn’t break eye contact as she asks.

 

His voice is surprisingly clear as he replies, giving her hope that she has not come late into the wiping process.

 

“Их сила куется в лед и огонь.” His words are automatic, his body settling in the rightness. He may not remember the redhead staring at him intently, but he knows her.

 

Footsteps echo off the walls, but as they come closer Nat recognises the voices of her teammates. And yet, she doesn’t let herself relax.

 

Clint comes through first, and at Nat’s nod heads to the control panel, putting a USB into the closest computer to pull whatever files look useful.

 

Steve tries to come next, but halts when he sees Natasha pointing her gun squarely at his head.

 


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Who the hell is Bucky?"

“Nat?” Steve looks wary, though mostly confused.

“I like you Steve, I really do. But do not cross me on this. I heard what Sam said, and I will not let you hurt him. He’s been through enough, and I will do anything to spare him more pain.” Her voice is steady, as if she is not threatening one of her closest friends. One of her only friends, really.

Behind her, the man in the chair remains disoriented. What had the man he couldn’t see called her? Nat? It seems familiar but not quite correct. Like he hadn’t finished her name.

“Наташенька, enough.” He says it firmly, knowing that she will listen.

Natasha does, through shock as much as anything else. She turns her attention back to him, ready to ask any number of questions but also just pleased. It had been too long since she’d heard anyone call her that. This feeling wasn’t to last though.

“Bucky?” Steve is disbelieving, although he can’t hide the hope in his voice.

“Who the hell is Bucky?” the man in the chair asks. Now he can see the man Natasha was blocking, he felt a vague sense of recognition. Not like with Natasha, nothing that solid. It wasn’t the name that brought about this sensation. No, the face that spoke it. This felt like a face he dreamed of a long time ago. 

Natasha’s mind is blurring now, running so fast it’s hard to hold onto them. She’d done her research on Steve, knew everything there was to know about the world’s first super soldier when she shook his hand on that helicarrier. His best friend since childhood, Bucky Barnes who he saved in Azzano only for him later to fall off a train in the Alps when pursuing Zola. Zola. She’d seen a few pictures of Sargent Barnes, even noticed the similarity but didn’t pursue it further. The man was dead, and there were no traces of where her father had come from. She assumed that if he hadn’t been born into it like she had, then any scrap of his former existence was wiped out completely when they took him. Hydra weren’t that sloppy. Or so she thought.

Azzano.

Zola.

Alps.

Seventy years.

If Steve was right (which Natasha didn’t doubt, not really), then her father had been with his torturers for almost fifty years before she came along. Her blood burned. Every one of them would pay.

Steve, for his part, moved closer to Bucky for it was him; he was no almost certain. He wanted to reach out to him, started to even, and then Bucky flinched. Steve’s insides, only just warm again since that awful day on the train, froze all over again. Bucky not only didn’t know himself, but was afraid of Steve. 

In a flash, Nat was back between the two although without a gun this time.

“Steve.” He continues to stare past her, not taking his gaze of his miracle.

“Steve.” More sharply this time, Nat demands his attention. “I know this is a lot for you. I want to say first that I didn’t know.” It hurts her to admit it, but she stares into his eyes, willing him no see the truth of her words. Steve nods; Nat was the only person he had spoken to about that day, late one night while they waited for an evac. She knew what this meant to him.

“But I need you to back off,” she continues. “He doesn’t remember you right now. He barely remembers me right now. The only reason he isn’t trying to kill us all is that we planned for this moment, knowing he wouldn’t remember. The longer he’s out of cryofreeze, the more his memories will return. Right now, you need to trust me. You need to trust him. Follow the plan.” He looks like he might argue, like it causes physical pain to contemplate letting Bucky out of his sight.

“Steve, the best thing you can do is help us get out of here.” His head snaps back to the door, knowing that there were likely reinforcements coming. He acquises, moving around the room and collecting extra weapons from the few guards Natasha had taken down earlier.

“Nat,” Clint beckons her over to where he’s working at a bank of computers. “They’ve got it networked in, we should be able to access all their files from here.”

“Good. Is there still a connection for the upload?” Nat asks.

“Yes. But I’ll ask you once more. Your whole life is in here. Are you ready for that to be public knowledge?” He looks at her seriously. She remembers when Clint looking serious was a rare thing. But that was before Loki. Before he lost Phil.

“It’ll take them a while to find that. By then we should already be far from here. We want them to find it. We’ll come back once we know for sure that the Winter Soldier wasn’t acting in free will.” Clint nods, and starts dumping the Hydra files online.

Nat moves back to her father, who’s no longer restrained but still sitting in the chair; confused and afraid. Unable to bear the sight of him in the machine of her nightmares, Nat leverages him up with his arm over her shoulder. Together, they find his shirt and a gun for him to use. As they do, Nat keeps up a soothing hum of words. 

“Я знаю, что вы не знаете, кто я, но я вытащим тебя отсюда. Вы можете мне доверять, и вы помните, в ближайшее время. Вы понимаете?” She speaks softly.

“Я понимаю, Наташенька. Вы, кажется, знакомы. Я не знаю, почему я доверяю тебе.” He replies.

“Ты будешь.”

“Ready?” Clint calls from where he now stands beside the door, Steve by his side.

“We’re ready.” Bucky is steadier on his feet now, and with a shirt on looks much more ready to move out.

The four of them move back the way they came, moving seamlessly in formation, Bucky falling in quickly adjusting to accommodate both Natasha and for some reason the giant Blond. 

And Steve, well Steve fought with a rage that hasn’t burned since the night the Valkyrie went down.

Clint was amused when an agent came round the corner to take aim at Nat, only to find Bucky had instinctively moved in front of her and in turn Steve stepped in front of Bucky, shield up. 

They made it outside the building and Clint headed to the quinjet to grab the packs Nat had kept packed for years. His chest soared at the thought that she could finally, finally use them.

He walked back out to a stalemate; well maybe more a tug of war. He sighed.

“You’re not coming.”

“Of course I’m coming. I’m not leaving him.”

“He doesn’t know you!”

“He will! I believe he will!”

“Yes, he will. But it will take time. And in that time, he needs to heal. Recover. I know how this works. I will help him.”

“I can’t let him go.” Steve’s voice is cracking now, but gone is the 1940s repression. His face says it all.

“Steve, I love you. But”

“Love me? You pulled a gun on me 10 minutes ago!”

“Are you saying you’d have done it differently?” Natasha stares at him hard, daring him to deny it.

Steve sighs and accepts it. He would have. 

In the meantime, Barnes follows them like a spectator at a tennis match, a small bemused smile on his face. He doesn’t know why they arguing over him, but they were. He feels…warm. It’s nice.

“Enough! We’re wasting time. You will go and clean up what’s left of S.H.I.E.L.D. I’ll take him to a safe house to recover. They’ll be coming for their Soldier.” She hesitates to use his name. It feels too vulnerable to say it louder than a whisper in his ear. 

Steve’s face falls but he nods all the same.

“Just…stay in touch.” 

“I’ll try.” She squeezes his hand but draws away quickly. It’s too raw. Too much at once. She needs to retreat. 

As Natasha walks back to Bucky, he feels the need to comfort her but he doesn’t know how. His hand stalls awkwardly half-raised. Nat smiles all the same. No matter how much he remembers, he always reaches for her.

“Пойдем, папа, нам нужно уходить.” She speaks softly but with feeling, making her voice as different from his handlers as possible. 

Clint comes forward with the backpacks and grips Nat’s forearm as she holds his, speaking with their eyes only. Be safe.

Natasha leads Bucky to a non-descript car parked on the street, no doubt courtesy of Fury. 

Steve watches her drive away with his suddenly resurrected heart in the front seat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> B - Natashenka
> 
>  
> 
> N - I know you don't know who I am, but I will get you out of here. You can trust me, and you'll remember soon. Do you understand?
> 
> B - I understand, Natashenka. You seem familiar. I don't know why I trust you.
> 
> N – You will.
> 
> *
> 
> N- Come on Papa, we need to leave.


End file.
